Difficulties have long been encountered in removing finely divided powdery bulk material from storage bins. Particles pack or otherwise cling together in a manner which interfers with free flow. This is inherently caused by the basic characteristics of finely divided particles wherein they are attracted one to another causing packing which results in cavitation pockets where the material is being removed. Many methods are used to enhance flow of dry powdery material from a bin or tank, the most common being for a man to strike the outside of the bin adjacent its bottom or discharge with a heavy rubber-covered hammer. This method is relatively inefficient and quite expensive, aside from damage caused equipment such as bins and adjacent machinery. Another common method is to agitate the powdery bulk material by physically moving a stirring device through the powder. Another method is to place an electro-mechanical vibrator on the outside of the bin to shake or vibrate the bin in an effort to keep the material fluid and to prevent the formation of cavities. This method is relatively inefficient because the energy for vibrating the bulk material must be transmitted through heavy walls of the storage tank. A vast portion of the energy goes into vibrating the walls of the storage tank. These walls act as sounding boards and create noise to the annoyance of workmen in the area. Much of the vibrating energy is converted to sound.
The device disclosed herein has the advantages of mechanical stirring but by an efficient and generally enclosed mechanism. It amounts to a vibrating mechanism located internally of the bin and directly in contact with the material. It is substantially isolated from the walls of the tank or bin and the vibrations thereof are generally not transmitted to the tank or bin.